The estate of 94‑year‑old farmer Herman Carl Stille is set to give Floyd County Medical Center (FCMC) a $10.9 million gift to build a cancer centre on its campus. The plan includes a dedicated oncology office, a family lounge, and separate spaces for chemotherapy and other non‑radiation treatments.
Radiation therapy, a machine‑heavy and regulated service, was the one feature that could not be guaranteed by the hospital. In Iowa, a linear accelerator needs a certificate of need, and several nearby hospitals already run such machines. Because FCMC lacks the patient volume to justify the cost, it would have to partner with another facility for that service.
The farmer’s will set a clear condition: if FCMC ever loses its independent status, the money would go to the Mayo Foundation for Alzheimer’s research. Mayo had challenged the gift in court, arguing the centre could not meet the radiation requirement, but the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the condition hinged solely on independence, not on the centre’s full capabilities.
The court’s decision keeps the money in FCMC’s hands, but the legal debate highlighted how community hospitals weigh cost, regulation, and patient need when expanding cancer services. The centre will still have to negotiate with external radiation providers to offer that critical treatment.
If you’re a cancer patient or caregiver in Floyd County, call FCMC to confirm which therapies will be available on‑site. Knowing whether you’ll have to travel for radiation can shape your treatment timeline and insurance planning.